This sequel to the well-known children's book, PAX, returns listeners to the world of Peter and his pet fox, Pax, who were separated by war. Here narrator Michael Curran-Dorsano transitions seamlessly between timeframes and points of view. A year after Pax and Peter's separation, Curran-Dorsano recounts Pax's joyful welcoming of fox cubs into the world. But his tone for Peter, now an orphan, reflects the boy's sadness and confusion. When Peter joins Water Warriors, a group bent on repairing the war's ecological damage, Curran-Dorsano reflects his surprise at encountering young people who can love after loss. Eventually, Pax is brought back into the life of his boy, and Peter is impacted by Pax's trust and love. The story and its narration make for a poignant sequel.
(Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: 2021
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063117457
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Robb Moreira summons a mythic tone for this original spinoff of the Aztec creation story. In Higuera's story, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl's lesser-known brother, Xolotl, recounts "what really happened." Xolo has a dog's head, paws, and, most importantly, a love of humankind. Moreira's declamatory tones suit the epic nature of the story but also sometimes flatten the nuances of Higuera's characterizations. Listeners who don't seek out the print edition to accompany the audiobook will miss illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson's strikingly stylized figures, colorfully lush design, and critical narrative detail that's often communicated only in the illustrations. Those who do read and listen will occasionally find themselves zooming past wordless sequences that demand close attention. Both otherworldly and sweet--and perhaps best enjoyed in print.
(Mythology. 7-10)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 1 hr
DD ISBN: 9798899735035
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Tara Novie's youthful voice reflects a sense of wonder for the topic of this audiobook: whales. While her bright delivery contrasts with the somberness of those majestic animals that were pushed out of former habitats by human expansion, she does convey a sense of hope as the Hudson River flows clear again and the whales return. In the second part of the audiobook, Novie's tone becomes more grounded as she details historical and environmental insights relating to the Hudson Highlands River's troubled past and activism that led to the 1972 Clean Water Act. Novie conveys the urgency of this environmental issue and humanity's role in shaping an optimistic future.
(Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: 2025
Duration: 22 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250386755
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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